Dark Matter: Book Review by Dinh
Synopsis:
“Are you happy with your life?”
Those are the last words that Jason Dessen hears before the masked abductor knocks him unconscious.
Before he awakens to find himself strapped to a gurney, surrounded by strangers in hazmat suits.
Before a man Jason’s never met smiles down at him and says, “Welcome back, my friend.”
In this world he’s woken up to, Jason’s life is not the one he knows. His wife is not his wife. His son was never born. And Jason is not an ordinary college physics professor, but a celebrated genius who has achieved something remarkable. Something impossible.
Is this world or the other that’s the dream? And even if the home he remembers is real, how can Jason possibly make it back to the family he loves? The answers lie in a journey more wondrous and horrifying than anything he could’ve imagined- one that will force him to confront the darkest parts of himself even as he battles a terrifying , seemingly unbeatable foe.
Synopsis from Kindle Book, copyright July 2016, and published by Crown/Archetype.
Review:
<spoilers ahead>
I am so happy that I am on a roll in finding great books to read this year. I have to add Dark Matter by Blake Crouch to the list of highly recommend this book to read list.
This is my first book by Crouch, though he has written many books that include Wayward Pines trilogy, for which he is most well known for.
So going in, I didn’t have any expectations except what I had read in the book jacket and that it was good.
When I read the synopsis, especially the part that said “Welcome back, my friend.” I thought of Total Recall, the movie with Arnold Schwarzenegger, and thought it would be on similar grounds but it’s not anything alike. It stops there.
So why did I love it so much?
Page-Turner
Dark Matter was the fastest page turner that I have read recently. Wow, I just kept on reading and turning the pages!
The book was a page turner because most of the 340 pages of the hardcover contained lots of conversation and the plot just kept on moving really fast.
It was an exciting sci-fi thriller that had a clever plot that just kept on snowballing all the way to the end.
I think this book would make an awesome movie! There’s so much action and it’s an exciting plot with romance and a strong protagonist.
Great Story Line
The title of the book Dark Matter, is an intriguing title that makes you wonder what it’s all about.
Crouch is very creative in using the concept of dark matter, an invisible and mysterious substance that the universe is made of, and forming a story line with the concept of multiverse existing at the same time.
Don’t worry, it’s not overly scientific. Everything gets explained in the book in layman’s terms and is kept simple.
In one version of this multiverse, Jason is happily married, has a family, and works as a professor.
In another version of this multiverse, The OTHER Jason becomes a genius and builds a box that opens up the gateway to these multiverses. The OTHER Jason goes into Jason’s life and hijacked his life and sends him to OTHER Jason’s world where he’s the genius.
Trapped in this strange world, Jason has to somehow find his way back to his wife Daniela and his son Charlie.
I liked that the underlying theme of the book is about choices. We all have to make choices in our lives and these choices will have a path that lead to a different outcomes.
In Dark Matter, Jason makes a choice of choosing his wife and having a family and forgoing his career. The OTHER Jason, chose his career and now wants what Jason has.
What didn’t I like?
The story line took a couple of turns that I didn’t like.
Firstly, Amanda, the psychologist helps Jason escape from the world that he doesn’t belong, and Jason forms a relationship with Amanda that verges on almost romantic but then the relationship is just thrown away as she makes a departure from his journey.
I was disappointed that Crouch had killed off the friendship/romance so quickly as I thought that it was going to be THE story line. Amanda played a big part in the book and then she goes off on her own?
Secondly, it got a bit confusing with all the Jasons out there. The switch to the many Jasons was a twist I wasn’t expecting and it got a bit confusing when the concept was introduced. I was prepared with Jason and the OTHER Jason but not all the other versions of Jason.
Thirdly, I found the ending a bit off for my liking. With only one chance to get it right, and to get to utopia (or their ideal world), who did Jason let decide? His son Charlie! Now come on…
Jason was taking a really big risk, especially when he had gone through all this before and had so much trouble finding the right world when he was looking for them, that you’d think he would decide.
It’s your typical hopeful, happy ending!
I like happy endings don’t get me wrong, but let’s not ruin it with a ridiculous thing like giving the kid the power to decide the rest of their lives.
Unless. Wait… Is there going to be a sequel to Dark Matter? That would be interesting!
My Final Thoughts:
This is a fantastic high pace sci-fi thriller that will keep you turning the pages. With a solid and unique plot, this thriller is so good that you’ll probably read it in one sitting!
I loved this book and highly recommend everyone to read it!
Get Dark Matter here. Or listen to it for free with an Audible trial.
Discover your next great read!
I’m going back and reading some of the clubs books and this one was amazing! Had me from page 1 to the end! A real page turner for sure! I would like to read more from Blake Crouch.
Hi Kristine!
I am so glad that you enjoyed Dark Matter! It’s such a great page turner 🙂
You should check out Recursion, it’s his latest book and also a page turner!
Wow, this sounds like a really fast paced thriller read which you managed to really enjoyed! With something always happening, there is probably no way anyone can get bored when reading this. I also love the cover. A shame about the story taking turns you didn’t really support or like though.
Greetings Olivia!
Dark Matter was a fantastic book and I read it really quickly. You’re right, there’s no time to be bored when the story just moves along.
You should definitely check this one out! I highly recommend it. 🙂
I really like the nerdy sci-fi vibe to it and the multiple universes (always a sucker for storylines with those!) so i might pick this one up someday. 🙂 Thanks for the review!
Hi Chiqui!
Thanks for stopping by!
I am also a big sucker for sci-fi, and this one in particular because of its awesome multiverses. I love books that make me want to find out the next thing that happens and you can’t put down.
LOL, who doesn’t enjoy a page turner?
Wow, this seems exciting and fast paced.
Thanks for the recommendation. I think I will read this one! 🙂
Hello Becky!
I hope you enjoy this one as I loved it.:)
I loved the combo of a sci-fi thriller that is fast paced!
Do let me know what you think when you’re done reading.
Good review here! The book sounds interesting and has a different concept. If its somewhat confusing to keep track of all the jasons, does that make for a longer read, or even a book that you might need to go back and start over? I wouldn’t want to be confused and not be able to appreciate the storyline.
Hello Summerly!
Dark Matter isn’t really that confusing. Once the concepts of the different Jasons was introduced it made sense and then it became part of the story. I didn’t have to re- read the whole book again. I did go back a bit just to make sure I got it.
Since you are more of a movie person first then the book, I would suggest in watching the movie. I heard they are making a movie, yay!
I thought he let Charlie decide where to go because out of the 3 of them…he was the one person who could take them somewhere safe from the other Jasons? Otherwise the other Jasons could eventually figure out where he took his family.
Hi Akane!
You are right that the other Jasons could find them if Charlie didn’t open the door. So Jason had to let Charlie open the door. It says so on page 338-339, when Daniela points it out. But there’s a limited supply of the ampules and it would take the other Jasons so many tries to get it right and find them. I think in this multiverse, there’s a probability there somewhere.
Jason does say that there’s three of them going through and that the world they are going to is created by all of them.
There’s suppose to be infinite possibilities so any possibility could happen. It’s all a big probability!
What I was also wondered is how all these Jasons could be in one world and not mess up the reality of that world. It gave the example of the cat in the box, was it dead or alive? The answer was found out when you open the box. Inside the box, the cat could be dead and alive. I couldn’t get mind around that.
Nice book I see and nice review you have done.
Hi Duketiana!
Thanks for your positive comments.
Dark Matter is an exciting and gripping sci-fi thriller. I hope you get a chance to read it. 🙂
Thanks for stopping by at Arlene’s Book Club!
I didn’t realise this was written in 1991 – didn’t realsie dark matter was a subject back then. Interesting.
Looks like one for the wishlist.
Thanks for the great review.
Hi Derek.
Dark Matter was published in 2016 and not 1991.
I am not sure when these concepts of dark matter and dark energy were talked about and popular. It has made me curious in the advancements in physics.
This is a great read and I hope you enjoy it. 🙂
Wow. Twisted!
I love the idea of dark matter. I actually wrote an essay on this a back before it was much of a popular thing. When the LHC was created, I got more excited on the topic, but this book would make for a interesting read indeed. One that I would truly have to pay attention to by the sounds of it.
Thanks!
Hi Damien!
I love the idea of dark matter too. It’s so beyond my comprehension level,lol. Space and the universe is a mysterious thing…
I had to google LHC as I didn’t know what you were referring to.The Large Hadron Collider, or atom smasher to us lay people, is an interesting part of subatomic physics that would go over my head. I don’t think I would be able to write an essay on that…
The book is not too scientific and is an enjoyable read. It concentrates on the theory of multiverse, one that Stephen Hawkings expounded, and elaborates it in a fictional novel.
I hope you enjoy it!
I was very careful in reading your review, Dinh, because of the spoilers! Glad you warned me. Any sentence that seemed spoiler-ish, I had to skim. I’m so down for reading this book. You’ve piqued my interest. Great review!
Hi Lonna!
I mainly try not to include spoilers but it’s a must sometimes when there’s no other way around it. I like to be direct as possible on how I feel and this time, I had specifics that I had to include.
The book is an addictive read! I love that it’s so fast pace and exciting.
Thanks for stopping by! 🙂
Very true! It’s difficult to share our true feelings when I have to be vague. Sometimes I just want to say, “It devastated me when he died!” But then, I have to say things like, “The climax devastated me.” The latter is so generic. 🙂 Just stopped by to put a smile on your face. Now lets see if I can post this comment in one attempt…
Hi Lonna!
Thanks for putting a smile on my face. 🙂
You have a great way with words so when you are vague it sounds good :=) I, however need to learn the secrets of being generic!
Excellent Book review, Dinh.
I believe, when I have the chance, I’ll grab a copy of this and read it.
Thanks!
TE Mark
Hi TE!
I am so happy that you stopped by!
Thanks for checking out the review. I really enjoyed this one. It was an addictive read and I loved the premise of the book.
I would be curious to see what your thoughts are when you get a chance to read it. 🙂